How's about a kiss?
by Johnlocksinthetardis
Summary: When winter spirit Jack Frost captures the heart of young Viking Hiccup, the two have no idea of the troubles that await them. When Stoick the Vast announces that an arranged marriage is to happen to separate the boys, they are thrown into a world of lies, deceit and jealousy, and they are forced to make unthinkable choices. Will hate destroy them, or will love be enough?
1. Chapter 1

**Berk was an isolated and small Viking island, devoid of any other season but winter. **Hiccup sighed as he walked through the deep woods, dragging his feet through the thick blanket of snow. His father, Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk, had allocated him the task of collecting firewood for his people. By his side was Toothless, Hiccup's Night Fury. The dragon's scales were shining black, hints of navy and grey shimmering through in the weak winter sun. The dragon was moderately small for a dragon, but still huge in comparison to Hiccup's lean body. His wings were neatly folded against his back, and his teeth retracted as he strode happily alongside his trainer, his feet leaving a large set of prints behind him. Hiccup watched the dragon jump around in the snow, his large gummy smile making Hiccup laugh as he patted the animal's head. "It's a good thing you like the snow, bud. At least one of us does." The dragon grumbled in response, his giant tongue stretching out in an attempt to lick Hiccup.

A playful voice interrupted them. "You're not a fan of my work?"

Hiccup yelled and threw all the firewood into the air, waving his hands about maniacally in a bid to look threatening. His voice shook, and he coughed to steady it. "Who-who's there?"

"Oh, he hears me. Now _that's _interesting." The mystery voice said again, although no matter how hard Hiccup looked he couldn't find a body to match it.

Toothless growled and snarled, his non-existent teeth suddenly descending from his gums. His ears flattened against his head, and he moved his long black body around Hiccup, protecting him. Hiccup gulped worriedly and took a breath, "Whoever's speaking should come out now, or my dragon will not be very happy. And you don't w-want him to be mad."

Jack laughed and leaped down from the trees, his slowed decent landing him gracefully in the snow. He shook his head, the pure white hair seeming to give of it's own glow. "Alright, alright. Hi, name's Jack. Jack Frost."

Hiccup's eyes widened as he took the stranger in. He was tall and slim, his pale white body clad only in brown cut off trousers with frayed ends, and an electric blue hoodie. Frost covered the hood and the sleeves, crawling up his arms like intricate vines. His hair was long and whiter than the snow, and seemed to move even though there was no wind. His eyes were ever brighter than his jumper, the irises a swirling mix of different shades of blue. In his hand was a long wooden staff, curved at the top. He looked like the human embodiment of winter. "Why were you up in the trees?" He asked breathily.

"Just admiring my work. And I happened to hear you and your, ah...dragon." Jack's pale lips pulled into a lopsided smile, and Hiccup felt the blood run to his face. "You never told me your name."

"Oh!" Hiccup exclaimed, running a hand through his messy brown hair. "It's uh, I'm uh, Hiccup! My name is Hiccup."

"That's a bit of a weird name." A chuckle escaped Jack's mouth.

Hiccup's cheeks were fast becoming the colour of berries, they were that red. "Yeah, I know. It's just like, parents name their children hideous names to keep them safe from gnomes and trolls and stuff." He gave a half smile. "As if our wonderful Viking demeanor wouldn't do that already."

Jack let out a belt of laughter, and Hiccup felt the knot of fear inside him loosen. "What about winter spirits?"

"Huh?"

"Does your name keep you safe from winter spirits?" Jack said lightly, a playing tone to his voice.

Hiccup swore the strange boy winked at him, and he blushed furiously. Again. "Ah, well, I-I don't know. Is that what you are? A, w-winter spirit?"

Jack leaned against his staff lightly. "Yep, that's me."

"No...no, you can't be. What type of name is Jack for a winter spirit?" Hiccup shook his head, thin arms folding as he presented this to Jack.

Somewhat shocked and a tad amused, Jack gave a grin. "I believe your name for me is Jokul Frosti. But you can call me Jack."

Hiccup felt his mouth open. He gently patted Toothless' head, not fully aware that the beast was still quietly grumbling at Jack. "Jokul Frosti... but, but aren't you meant to be an elf? You don't look like an elf. You're all tall and slim and really.." Hiccup lost his train of thought looking at the boy. "Uh, I mean you don't have pointy ears either."

Jack's eyebrows raised. _He was really what?_ "Well, nobody ever gets it right. So very few ever have the privilege of seeing me. Or speaking to me."

"So why am I one of the lucky few?" Smiling, Hiccup cocked his head.

"You believe in me. This whole village does, albeit in a different form, which is why I guess I've never been noticed here. But you...there must be something special about you." Jack's hand twitched as if to reach out, but it stayed still.

Smiling at the ground, the dark haired boy shook his head. "I'm many things, an idiot, clumsy and awkward, to name a few, but I am _not _special."

The next thing Hiccup felt was a finger under his chin, lifting his head up. His electric blue eyes stared intently into the bright green of Hiccup's, and his voice was soft, but certain. "You are a dragon trainer. I've visited Berk many times, I know how it used to be. I know that you changed it. It takes someone special to do that."

Hiccup was silent for a while, his breaths coming faster this close to the ethereal boy in front of him. He gave a gentle smile, somewhat resisting an urge to wrap his fingers around Jack's wrist. "Show me what you can do."

Jack took the change of conversation in his stride and gave a lop sided grin. Challenge accepted. "Alright. First off, I can fly." Before Hiccup could respond, Jack wrapped his arm around Hiccup's waist, yanked him close and took a leap into the air.

The wind propelled them straight up, gently blowing their hair around. Jack gave a grin as Hiccup clung to him, unused to flying without his dragon. Toothless was still on ground, desperately trying to fly up and meet them, but unable to. After a few failed attempts he gave up, and opted to stare at them instead, searching for any signs of danger. Hiccup bent his head down and yelled to his friend. "Hey, buddy! It's okay, don't fire." He turned to face Jack. "You could've told me you were going to do that."

"I'm spontaneous. Sue me." Jack smiled, descending back down softly next to the dragon.

Recovering his breath, Hiccup looked up, and after a few seconds, coughed and de-tangled himself from Jack. "What else can you do?"

Jack waved his staff, and it started snowing. When Hiccup cursed, he laughed, lifted his hand, and the snow ceased. "Don't you like the snow?"

"It snows nine months of the year here, and hails the other three." Hiccup sighed exasperatedly. "Because of you?"

Jack took a leap and landed softly on top of his staff, his balance perfect. The staff stayed still, and he crouched down, tilting his head to the side. "Not completely. I mean every country has its basic weather. I just come along and spice things up. I make it fun."

"Oh yeah, I'm having so much fun. Now help me pick these logs up." Hiccup muttered, eyeing Jack up. He bent down to start picking up all the logs that littered the ground.

"You wouldn't know fun if it bit you in the ass." Jack snickered. Hiccup straightened his spine, and dropped the logs. He walked over to his dragon, and scratched his ear.

"Oh, I can guarantee I know fun. Hop on." Toothless flashed Jack a toothy grin.

Recoiling, Jack put his hands up. "Uh..no thanks, I don't do dragons. Wind-only type of guy."

"You scared? Here I thought that someone as _fun _as you wouldn't be afraid of the big bag dragon." Hiccup taunted, climbing onto the dragon's back. His hands took the reins, and his foot latched into place. His amputated leg clipped into it's place, and he gave it a test twist, moving the fake tail in the process. "Good to go, Toothless."

Jack's pale cheeks twinged pink. "Fine, I'll do it. It's not that bad."

Gingerly he climbed onto Toothless' back, and wrapped his arms around Hiccup's slender waist. He carefully set his staff down on the snow, and locked his legs tightly to the dragon's torso. Snickering, Hiccup gripped the reins and called out, and the dragon lurched. Jack wailed and clung to Hiccup as hard as he could. He wasn't used to the rocking motion a dragon flew with, or the rough takeoff. When he felt Hiccup's chest moving with suppressed laughter, he opened his eyes. They were above the clouds, and the dragon flew now with such ease that Jack wouldn't have known they were still flying if it wasn't for the wind blowing his hair back.

Jack grinned, his hands still wound round Hiccup's waist. He rested his head on the boy's shoulder. "Wow."

"Pretty cool, right?"

"Very. But where's the fun?"

"You asked for it." Grinning wildly, with a sense of freedom, Hiccup yanked the reins, and down they went.

Jack let loose a yell as they plummeted, daring to lift a hand into the air. The dragon spread its wings and flew back upwards, using the momentum to spin and twirl. They were fast approaching a large series of rocks, miles into the air, and Jack inhaled. "Those gaps look thin...can we make that?"

In response, Hiccup grinned. He latched his left foot into the stirrup, pushing down on it. The mechanical half of Toothless' tail shot out, and as Hiccup yanked the reins to the side, the Dragon seems to flatten out it's body as they sailed through the first gap. The team worked together, turning and pulling and shifting their position in seconds to fit through. Jack could feel his heart enter his mouth with every twist, this was the most exhilarated he'd ever felt. Eventually, they made it out the collection of cliffs, and Jack breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, you have skill. That was amazing." He said, his lips at the other boy's ear.

Hiccup tried not to shiver. He was uncomfortably aware that Jack still had a hand wrapped around his waist, and his icy touch felt more like fire. "Thanks. Wanna do a loop?"

"Bring it."

At Hiccup's command, Toothless soared upwards, his huge wings batting them further, higher, faster. Jack raised his hands at the top of the loop and yelled. Just as Hiccup turned round to look at him, The scream fell from Jack's lips and he detached from the dragon's back. Jack fell straight down, the momentum spinning and turning his thin body beyond control. He screamed, trying desperately to right himself so he could fly. Suddenly, a strong hand gripped Jack's, and lifted him up with a strength he would not have paired to Hiccup's slender frame. He found himself back on the dragon's back, Hiccup's emerald eyes drinking him in.

"You okay?" He asked worriedly, scanning him for any signs of injury.

Jack threw his head back and laughed. "Now that was fun. I'm great, thanks to you."

Hiccup sighed. "You could have died!"

"Ah, not exactly. I can fly." Jack said wisely.

"Didn't seem to look like it when you were spiraling down." He muttered, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"I'm not even sure I can die. I've never tried." He said thoughtfully.

Hiccup wondered. "How old are you?"

"I'm not sure, it's hard for me to measure time. I've been alive for a long time. I've lived with the moon, grew with the sun, existed with the planet. I'm as much a part of it as the trees and the lakes and the hills,and all the animals. I'm connected to it, just like you are." He said softly.

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Are you a God? Are you from Asgard?"

Jack smiled gently. "I'm no God. There is more than just your Gods in this world. Everything exists, everything is linked. You for instance believe in Odin, and Freya. You believe in Valhalla, and Hel, and Folkvangr, where you will go after death. Elsewhere in the world, Christians and Catholics believe in one God, and heaven and hell. They only exist because you believe."

Hiccup bit his lip. "So what's real?"

"All of it. None of it. It only exists because you believe. After all, you believe in me, and I exist. But only to you. You get me?" Jack said, his hand lazily snaking around Hiccup's waist again.

Hiccup blushed and nodded. "Yeah. I get it, the world is more than what I see. How do you like this type of flying?"

"It's brilliant. Toothless is certainly exceptional. His rider more so." He said quietly, his ice cold hand petting the rough scales on the dragons back.

Hiccup smiled as they descended, landing softly where they took off. Jack slid off and picked up his staff, leaning against it fondly. His hands trailed up and down the wood, humming with the power coursing through it. Hiccup caught this with his eye and smiled.

"Want me to give you some privacy?" Hiccup sniggered.

Jack made a snowball by waving his hand and whacked it off his shoulder. "No thanks, it's not my type."

"What is?"

"Hm?" Jack tilted his face up to look at the boy.

"What is your type?" Hiccup asked, almost sheepishly.

Jack grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Hiccup puffed his chest out and flicked his hair away from his eyes. "Pfft, I don't care. I was just curious."

Jack smiled softly, his lips quirking up in a way that stirred butterflies in Hiccup's stomach. "What can I do for you for saving my life?"

Hiccup waved his hand. "Nothing, it's fine."

"How about a kiss?" Jack raised his eyebrow, a blossom of hope seeded in his stomach.

"W-what?" Hiccup stammered, unsure he'd even heard right. "A kiss? Like, between you and me?"

Jack stepped closer, standing about a head taller than Hiccup. "Exactly like that."

Hiccup was speechless. He couldn't deny that he felt an attraction to Jack, like something was pulling him towards the white haired boy with the electric blue eyes. But there was so much to consider, his family, his friends. However, what he felt with Jack was much more electrifying than what he felt with Astrid, and suddenly he felt confused all over again. Finally he opened his mouth to speak. "Tell you what, you beat me in a race next time we meet, and you'll get your kiss."

Jack leaned against his staff. "And if I lose?"

"Who knows? Maybe if you believe you'll win, it'll happen." Hiccup laughed and shook his head.

Jack blinked and waved his staff. A small torrent of snowflakes flew around Hiccup, making him shiver through his thin green knit sweater. They flew around him, landing in his soft hair. With a gentle smile, Jack nodded. "Till next time, Hiccup."

With a gust of wind, he was gone, and all that remained was the echo of Hiccup's name on his lips. Sighing softly, Hiccup sat down against Toothless, kicking the abandoned sticks with his foot. "Till next time, Jack."


	2. Chapter 2

**Two months had passed since that night.** Hiccup was hopeful, running to see if any new snow that touched the ground was Jack's, or if the breeze that whipped his hair up was due to a wave of his staff. Unfortunately, as the weeks passed, Hiccup found that his hopefulness was fast disappearing. He hadn't seen any sign of Jack since then, and began to wonder if he was ever coming back, or even if he was real. He remembered walking home that night, at least an hour late, and with minimal sticks to show for his journey. His father, a massive man with arms the size of barrels and a beard the colour of rust, had asked him why he was so late. He remembered shrugging, apologizing to the man, and saying he went out for a ride on Toothless, and lost track of time. Hiccup sat in his room, an old stick of charcoal in his hand. He looked at his dragon, who lazily popped one eye open to look at his master. Shaking his head with a rueful smile, Hiccup let his mind wander and began to sketch the dragon, as he often did. He thought about Jack as he drew. How would he know where Hiccup lived? How would he see him again? Would he see him again? He bit his lip as he smudged the thick black lines of the drawing. He felt much too worried by this. It was all he could think about. As he looked down, he blanched. He hadn't drawn Toothless at all, he'd drawn Jack! Mentally cursing, he ripped the page out and crumpled it, placing his free hand to his forehead and sighing.

"What's up with you?" He heard a familiar voice say. Hiccup turned round and saw his best friend, and girlfriend, behind him.

"Hello, to you too." He muttered, shoving the crumpled paper into the fire.

Astrid sighed and punched him lightly on the shoulder, but the force was enough to knock Hiccup's skinny frame flying. "Sorry, hello. Now why were you all frustrated?"

Hiccup blinked at her, searching for a reason. "Oh, because I drew Toothless, but it didn't look right."

Astrid mulled this over. "Hm. That's weird, you usually always draw him perfect."

"My hand slipped this time." He said quickly, wishing she would stop talking about it. He didn't want to be thinking of Jack any more, it was hurting him to even imagine he'd never see him again. "How did you get into my house?"

Astrid looked at him like he was stupid. "Your dad let me in? As he always does?"

"Oh, oh yeah. Sorry." Hiccup shook his head in a desperate attempt to clear all thought if Jack away.

"Hey," She said excitedly. "Why don't you draw me?"

"Oh, um, I don't know, Astrid. I've never tried people before, I might mess it up." He said worriedly.

"Just practice for a bit, and tomorrow after the games you can draw me." She said with a smile.

Hiccup looked at her. She was pretty, there was no doubt about that. Tall and slim, but built with muscle, she was as good a Viking as any. Her hair was a bright blonde, twisted around her head in numerous pleats. Her eyes were light blue, like the colour of the morning sky. Hiccup noticed that compared to Jack's, no blue really matched up. Still, he gave her a small smile. He couldn't deny he was fond of her, she did make him feel happy. "Alright, I'll give it a try. Don't punch me if I mess it up."

Astrid grinned, showing a set of wide white teeth. "Don't mess it up then."

Rolling his eyes, Hiccup gave a small chuckle, and felt Astrid's lips quickly touch his cheek. She stood up, and nodded at his dragon. "Wanna go for a ride?"

Hiccup pursed his lips. "Sure. Where to?"

"Anywhere!" She said, pulling him off the bed. "Let's go."

They flew through the sky, the harsh winter wind nipping at their faces. It turned the tips of their noses and ears red, giving them an oddly childlike appearance. They flew with ease, and for a fleeting moment Hiccup remembered taking Jack for a ride above the clouds. Shaking his head, he pulled on the reins of his dragon and turned and twisted, doing lightning quick moves that Astrid's bulky dragon could not. He raised his eyebrows at her, challenging her. She grinned at him, not one to give up without a fight. She flew her dragon higher and higher, using the momentum to turn the large beast's body upside down. Quickly she detached as the dragon righted itself, falling through the air. She signaled to hiccup and he laughed, understanding what he had to do. Quickly, he positioned Toothless underneath her, and she landed with a soft _thump_ behind Hiccup. He nodded his head in approval. "Alright, that was good."

"Wouldn't have worked without you." She said, her voice soft.

Hiccup felt her arms wrap around him, and he had to fight to keep his body relaxed. Something felt wrong about feeling hers arms around him. He had felt her embrace a hundred times, and Jack's only once, but he knew that they were different. With Jack, he felt different. All over again. he felt confused, and angry. What was he feeling? Why was he feeling like that?

Astrid felt his body stiffen. She motioned for him to descent, her dragon following behind them. As they touched ground, she looked at him worriedly. "Hiccup," she said. "Are you okay?"

Stuck in emotional turmoil, Hiccup took a breath. "I um, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Okay...Astrid, do you think the Gods will punish us for being different?" He asked hesitantly.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Different? Different how?"

"Different like...liking another man. If..if you were a man." Hiccup said quietly, blush creeping up his neck.

Astrid's eyes widened as she took in his words. Finally, her mouth set in a line, she shook her head. "I don't know, Hiccup. Every man has the duty of marrying and creating life, extending the clan. It's cowardice to shun marriage with the females, you'll get punished for being a fuðflogi. I don't think the Gods would mind, as long as the man in question was still powerful, still manly, still a leader. You know there's nothing the gods and the tribes hate more than cowardice. Why are you asking me this, Hiccup?"

Hiccup mulled over what she said. He knew himself what the Gods wanted, but he was hoping that hearing it from someone else's mouth would make it easier to understand. It didn't. "Just...I saw some boys in the village a few days ago. Together. I was just worried for them, because they're good kids you know? They don't deserve punishment."

Astrid's eyes softened. "You have a big heart, Hiccup. But you know that a man's first duty is to marry and have children. Two men in a relationship together can't both be the leaders, one will have to subject to following. To cowardice. And that's what's punishable."

Hiccup gave a shaky breath and closed his eyes. "I know."

Astrid still looked wary, but seemed to take his story as truth. She gently punched him on the shoulder, her usual act of affection. "C'mon. You don't need to worry, you've got me! The Gods will deal with the boys. You worry too much."

"You have no idea." He said softly.


	3. Chapter 3

**After his goodbye to Astrid, Hiccup trudged home, Toothless at his heels.** The dragon could sense something was wrong with Hiccup, but he didn't know what. He placed his large scaly head under his hand and nudged, forcing the boy to clap him. Sighing, he ran his hand along the dragon's head, giving him the ghost of a smile. "You'll love me no matter what, right buddy?" He said, catching the cat-like eyes of his friend. In response, Toothless gave a deep rumble and licked Hiccup's hand, making him laugh and shake his hand vigorously, saliva flying everywhere. "Aw, Toothless! You know that doesn't wash off." Feeling slightly happier, Hiccup strolled through his village, the quiet night air bringing to life the sound of wildlife. He carefully opened the door to his house, a small but durably built wooden building in the centre of the village. Some of the wood was new, due to many dragon induced incidents with Toothless. Smiling at the thought, he and the dragon stepped up the stairs soundlessly. Well, as soundless as you can be with a 27 foot blundering reptile. Succeeding in making it up the stairs without being stopped by Stoick, Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief as he collapsed onto his small basic bed, the springs squeaking in protest. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, but was disrupted by a snowball flying into his room from the large cut-out window. Hiccup sat up startled, looking for the culprit. Toothless raised his large black head lazily and looked around, searching for anything that could be considered as a threat. When another snowball hit his floor, Hiccup stood and walked over, his amputated leg creating a _click _with every step. He pulled the thick woollen curtains apart and stuck his head out, bright green eyes searching for the source of the snowballs. Suddenly, a familiar pale face appeared in front of him. Hiccup gasped as he drank the boy in. It was Jack! Jack had come back! He was floating gently, his staff in hand. Hiccup found it hard to breathe when he looked at him. He hadn't seen him in so long, was it really him? Before he knew what he was doing, Hiccup reached a hand out and placed it on the celestial boy's chest, feeling a slightly slower than normal heartbeat. Jack's long pale fingers wrapped around Hiccup's hand, the startling white contrasting with Hiccup's creamy freckle covered complexion.

"Oh, my Gods," whispered Hiccup. "You're back."

Jack smiled gently. "I told you I would be. Did you miss me?"

"It's been weeks! I thought you weren't coming back, I-I thought I'd imagined you. Geez, Jack, I've been so worried and-"

Jack cut him off. "Wow, how long have I been gone? Weeks?"

Hiccup nodded solemnly. "It's been so long. I waited every day for you, but you never came back. How can you not know how long it's been?"

"Ah..." Jack shook his head. "I'm no good with time. I don't know how fast it passes. I'm so old that it has no meaning for me. I'm so sorry."

Hiccup tried to be angry, but when those ice blue eyes looked at him so apologetically, he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. "It's fine." Suddenly realizing that his hand was still on Jack's chest his cheeks coloured red, and he gently pulled his hand loose to run it through his hair. "Are you sure nobody can see you right now?"

Jack placed a foot on Hiccup's window ledge and gracefully slid into the room, making no noise. "I'm sure. Remember what I said? They all think of me as some elf, so that's what they'll be looking for. The only way they could see me now, is if someone told them what Jokul Frosti actually looked like. That way, their belief would be altered, and they'd believe in my current image. Thus allowing them to see me."

Hiccup bit his lip. "But I believed in the elf image. How did I see you"

"Like I said." Jack smiled, taking a step towards Hiccup. "You're special."

Blushing furiously, Jack looked down. He noticed that where Jack stood, frost had begun to ebb its way across the floor, in intricate patterns of leaves and flowers. He tilted his head. "How can you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know." He said. "Make the frost pretty."

Jack gave a quick chuckle. "Not sure. Must just be the magic."

Hiccup nodded and took this in. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but Jack cut him off. He said, "Really, Hiccup? More questions?" With another laugh, he grabbed the skinny boy's hand. "I came back for a race. If I remember correctly, the prize is a kiss."

Involuntarily, Hiccup's lips quirked up. "Okay. If I win, I get to ask my questions, and you have to answer. If I lose, you get your kiss."

Jack winked. "Let's race, Dragon boy."

Grabbing Toothless' saddle from the floor, Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "That's Mister Dragon boy, to you."

Jack's head flew back and he laughed loudly. He jumped out the window, floating effortlessly. "Meet you by the door." And then he was gone.

Hiccup steadied his breathing and took a moment to think. He could win his. No problem. If he wanted to. Did he want to? Hiccup shook his head. Of course he wanted to! He had to ask questions. That was all he needed. No kisses. At all. None. Unless he lost of course...Then he'd get a kiss. Maybe two. Hiccup couldn't deny he felt excited and scared at the prospect. He grinned quickly and held a finger to his lips, signalling to Toothless to be quiet. As quick as possible, they made their way down the stairs out the door, Hiccup shutting it closed, flinching as it clicked. Jack was standing a head taller than Hiccup, a smile on his pale lips. When the moonlight shone on him, Hiccup couldn't help but feel a stirring in his stomach, and the breath left his lungs. He raised a hand to his stomach and dug his fingers into the skin.

Jack noticed this and looked concerned. "You okay?"

"Sore stomach." Hiccup whispered, staring into the swirling blue irises of the winter spirit. Jack's white skin glowed with an inhuman shine at night, and the hair as white as snow was now tinted silver. He was beautiful, plain and simple.

"Like a stabbing pain?" Jack asked, tilting his head.

Hiccup smiled, his soft green eyes catching the rays of the moon. "More like butterflies."

Jack smiled, and it was a beautiful smile. His pearly white teeth flashed, and the faintest of pinks coloured his transparent cheeks. He grabbed Hiccup's hand gently, and led him towards the dragon, who was watching them carefully. "Come on. Let's race."

"Where to?" Hiccup asked, feeling embarrassed from his last sentence. He couldn't control how he felt around Jack, he just seemed to stir up an emotional storm inside him.

Pursing his lips, Jack used his staff as a pointer. "From here to the big rocks."

Hiccup was already clicking into place before Jack's finished his sentence. He gave a few test flicks of Hiccup's tail and nodded ready to go. "Alright. On three. One. Two..."

Jack took two steps back, ready to run and jump.

"Three."

Toothless beat his huge wings and launched himself into the air at the same time Jack took a leap. Both moved with the wind, but in completely different ways. Toothless fought against it, his huge aerodynamic body splitting the wind like butter, whereas Jack worked with it, using it to propel him further and faster. His eyes were narrowed with concentration and he gritted his teeth as he willed the wind to move him further. Hiccup was alert as he could be, his eyes never straying from in front of him. Looking at Jack would only distract him, allowing him to win. He felt every powerful muscle in his dragon's body move with each beat of his wings, felt the adrenaline running through both their veins. They lived for the freedom of flight, for the feeling of power, of belonging. In the air, Hiccup felt more at home than he did on land. He was born to ride with dragons, it was in his blood. Feeling somewhat euphoric, from the combination of flying and Jack, Hiccup spread his body as flat on the dragon as he could, whispering encouragements in his ear. He urged him to go faster and faster, reaching speeds he'd only once been before: when he was trying to escape the mouth of the largest dragon alive. Hiccup shuddered at the memory, feeling an ache in a foot that was no longer there. Shaking the thought from his head, he was delighted when he saw the looming towers of rocks approaching. Nearly there, he thought. He was so close, he was going to make it! Feeling triumphant, Hiccup pulled on the reins and landed his dragon quickly, feeling Toothless dig his claws into the rock to slow himself down.

Breathing heavily, Hiccup dismounted and turned round to find himself face to face with Jack. He looked astonished, his eyes wide. "You beat me."

Hiccup laughed giddily, feeling slightly faint. "I did."

"Hiccup, that was pretty damn amazing. I thought for sure I was going to win." Jack said, a shocked smile on his lips. He too was breathing heavy, his wild white hair stuck up at all angles.

"You underestimate just what a good team me and Toothless are." He said happily. He swayed a bit, and Jack's arms steadied him. "Man that felt awesome."

Jack raised a dark eyebrow. "You never been that fast before? I thought you guys raced dragons all the time."

"Toothless is the fastest dragon I've ever come across. It isn't fair to push him to his best and win every time. Last time I went that fast was when I...Ah, it doesn't matter."

"When you what?" Jack asked curiously.

Hiccup nodded at his metal leg. "When I defeated the King of all dragons. Toothless and I were about to be eaten, we had to fly so fast...It was huge. Absolutely massive, its teeth were as big as me. I thought we were going to get bitten, but we managed to escape before Toothless fired a bolt into its mouth, and it died. Most of me made it through it alive, thanks to my buddy here." Hiccup patted the dragons head fondly.

Jack let out a whistle. "Wow, Hiccup. On the outside you look like a scrawny Viking kid, but on the inside you're pretty damn badass."

Hiccup was surprised to find himself laughing. "Yeah, I guess I am. Couldn't have done it without Toothless. He's my best friend."

Jack walked up to the dragon and smiled. Toothless was still wary, still unsure of whether to trust him, but after a gentle nod from Hiccup he took a step forward, and placed his face into Jack's outstretched hand. He was surprised to feel how cold Jack was, and brought his face back and shook it, rubbing his giant feet off his nose.

Jack snickered. "Too cold for you?"

Hiccup walked up next to Jack, a smile on his lips. "Guess I'm warmer than you."

"Let's see." Jack said. He grabbed Hiccup's hand and rubbed his thumb along the back of it. "Yep, definitely warmer."

"And you are...definitely colder." Hiccup said quietly, blush creeping up his neck and turning his ears red.

Jack frowned and dropped his hand. "Sorry about that. I'm never warm, being the spirit of winter and all."

Hiccup reached out and took Jack's hand again. "I never said I didn't like it."

Hiding a smile, Jack turned to face the younger boy. "So, you won."

"I did."

"What's your questions then? I'll answer them all." He said happily.

Hiccup bit his lip. "First, what age are you stuck at? Will you grow old?"

"I'm as old as the world itself, but I'll always look young. Around seventeen, I reckon." He said.

Hiccup nodded. "Why don't you grow old?"

Jack smiled. "It's because I'm part of the fae."

"The fae? What's the fae?" Hiccup asked, confused.

Jack took a breath and answered. "Well, the fae is a large collection of many types of magical beings. We share the same fundamental basics, but we're all different. Fairies, pixies, elves, brownies, angels, and...me. We all have magic."

"Okay..." Hiccup said slowly. "Kind of like how all humans have the same basics, but we're all different shapes, sizes, and colours and are all good at different things?"

Jack smiled brilliantly. "Yes! Exactly like that."

"You know, I had no idea so much existed that I didn't even know. I thought dragons were as much as there were."

Jack ran a hand through his long hair. "They're just the tip of the ice berg. There's so much you could see if you just opened your eyes."

"Okay. Next question. Can you die?"

Jack's face grew darker. "Unfortunately, yes. The fae have one weakness, you see. Iron. It weakens me considerably, and if left bound in it for too long I could risk losing my magic."

"What would happen then?" Hiccup whispered. His eyes were huge, and worried.

Jack gave a sad smile. "Death."

Hiccup bowed his head, only to have it lifted by a pale finger. He smiled a little. Jack blinked, his long dark lashes brushing off his cheeks. "Can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead." Hiccup said quietly, feeling perfectly content to stare at Jack.

"How's about that kiss?" He said, unhesitatingly.

Hiccup felt the breath catch in his throat. This close to Jack, he felt blissful, and happy. Almost euphoric. He leaned in, his hands breaking away to tangle in Jack's hair, but before their lips touched, a sharp growl drew Hiccup back. Toothless was next to him, tugging gently on his jumper. Hiccup looked at the sky and realised it was considerably lighter, and that the sun was due to rise. He gasped, and quickly slid onto Toothless' back.

"I have to go, they'll be up any minute." He said quickly, his breaths coming short and quick. He was so close to Jack, so close to doing something unforgettable. "Will I see you again?"

Jack leaned his chin on his staff, eyes soft. "As long as you want me, I'll be there."

Hiccup grinned, then suddenly he was off in the distance. Toothless' powerful wings were pushing them further and further away, closer to the village. Jack sighed, feeling adrenaline and excitement course though him. He hadn't felt like this in well, forever. Hiccup was definitely something special. He lifted his face to the lightening sky, and smiled widely. "In fact, I don't think I could stay away."


	4. Chapter 4

Hiccup stood in his workroom, an old barely worn helmet in his hands. It was heavy and iron, the metal shimmering in the gentle candle light. His fingers touched it lightly and he sat it back down, a sigh on his lips. It was made from his mother's breastplate, his dead mother that is. He had never worn the helmet, his scrawny frame could barely cope under the weight anyway. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed on the hard dirt floor behind Hiccup and he suppressed a sigh. Stoick laid a meaty hand on his son's shoulder, nearly knocking him flying. "Son!" He said, his voice bellowing despite the fact Hiccup was right in front of him.

"Are you even capable of whispering?" Hiccup muttered before turning round. "Yes, dad?"

"I've got a surprise for you tomorrow! An early birthday present!" He grinned, showing a large row or browning teeth.

Hiccup winced. "Dad, my birthday isn't until three weeks. Why this early?"

"Because I helped Gobber make it! It's my own handiwork, the perfect gift for a young Viking!" Stoick laughed and reached a large hand out, grasping the helmet Hiccup sat on the table. His laugh faltered, and he sighed. "She would have loved to be with you now. Your seventeenth birthday, a grown man. I miss her, Hiccup."

Hiccup gulped and eased away from his father, laughing nervously. "Uh huh, that's real sad and all, dad, but I have to um, go and, uh...sleep. I have to go and sleep, promised I'd meet Astrid tomorrow."

Stoick smiled, again clapping his son on the shoulder. "I like that Astrid. Strong and beautiful, a perfect Viking girl. She'll make a good wife, Hiccup."

Hiccup's eyes grew wide and he was silent for a few seconds, unable to make any other noises than sputtering. When he composed himself, he laughed shakily. "Ah, yeah, I'm sure she will. I'm sure whoever it is will be very lucky."

Stoick's furry brows furrowed. "You don't wish for her hand?"

"No, no, well, yes, but I mean that...Astrid's great. I just don't want to marry her, not yet." He said quietly, his thoughts drifting to Jack. The Jack he hadn't seen in a month.

"Hiccup, you are a young man now. You must marry soon, Astrid is at the age to produce many great young warriors." He said, a hint of pride in his voice.

Hiccup blanched, fighting the decision to lift his hand and cover his ears. "Okay, dad that's just..not what I want to hear so goodnight."

Before Stoick could protest, Hiccup ran up to his room, closing the wooden door behind him, leaning against it with a sigh. He plodded over to his bed, toothless lying in his bed. Hiccup ran a hand through his auburn hair, and reached an arm below his bed to pull out a stick of charcoal and some paper. He let his hand drift across the page, as he often did when he was stressed. Or missing Jack. The book which was once filled with pictures of Toothless was now filled with pictures of a white haired boy with a shepherd's crook. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't capture the laughter in that one sided smile, or the playful sparkle in his large wide eyes. He drew Jack flying beside him, in their last race together. He closed his eyes and rested against his wall, trying to remember what it felt like to be next to Jack. He wanted to feel the boy's cool skin against his warm skin, feel the electric pulses that flowed through his body whenever they were near each other. Hiccup traced his fingers lightly over the drawing, his fingertips gently smudging the black lines. Hiccup's ghastly woolen curtains fluttered with a breeze, and frost spread across his walls. His heart in his mouth with excitement, he almost threw the book to the side in an attempt to leap across the room. There was only one person who made frost patterns like that. Hiccup grinned and pulled the curtains wide open to see...nothing. There was nobody there, nothing in his sight but the dark night of the sky. He stuck his head out, leaning out dangerously, desperate to see Jack. However, nothing was there. The smile fell from Hiccup's lips, and he brought himself back inside. Tears stung at his eyes, he had never felt so dejected or stupid. Was Jack there? Had he been there? Hiccup turned to look at the frost, but it had disappeared also. He wondered if he had imagined it. Just as he was about to turn away from the window, something caught his eye.

"What the..." Hiccup breathed, picking up the object. It was a block of ice, with a message carved out of it. Hiccup traced the lines and arrows of his language, smiling as the ice refused to melt in his hand, despite their warmth. "Meet me at sunset where we first met. Jack."

Clutching the block of ice to his chest, Hiccup bit his lip and laughed giddily. After so long without hearing or seeing any signs, he was so relieved to discover he wasn't imaging things. His Jack had come back! And he wanted to meet him tomorrow. Resting his elbows on the windowsill, Hiccup held the block gently in his hands. He looked up at the black sky shining with starts, mildly startled at how much they reminded him of the deep sparkling pupils of Jack's electric eyes. The eyes he'd be looking into soon. Happily, Hiccup smiled. He knew Jack would have come back. He always did. "I look forward to it."


	5. Chapter 5

The day dragged in so slow that Hiccup thought his head would explode with anticipation. Sunset. He would see Jack at sunset. Why was sunset so far away? It seemed that everyone was oblivious to his excitement, even though to him he felt as if he was vibrating. Every second that passed led him a second closer to Jack, a second closer to feeling alive. He could barely detach himself from these thoughts long enough to reply to anyone who spoke to him. Alas, the day did not speed up no matter how hard Hiccup wished it, so he was forced to push thought of Jack to the back of his mind and continue with his day. He was sitting outside his house with Toothless at his side when Astrid approached him, axe in hand. "Hey, handsome." She said, playfully knocking him on the shoulder with her fist. "Wanna do some weapon training?"

Hiccup smiled a little, simultaneously blushing and getting a twisted feeling in his stomach when she called him handsome. It almost felt strange coming from her mouth. "Um, yeah sure. Sounds good."

Astrid grinned and hauled Hiccup up with one hand, then reached out to pet Toothless. "You can just rest here, boy. We'll be over in the woods."

Hiccup felt uneasy without his best friend bu nodded nonetheless, there was no logical reason to bring him. Sighing quietly, he trudged over to the workshop, picking out a large metal sword, a spear and the less commonly used bow and arrow. Astrid eyed his choice and nodded with approval, beckoning him to come walk with her. His feet dragging, Hiccup followed her, the heavy iron in his hands making his muscles ache under the weight. Astrid was silent, her slim body swaying side to side while she walked. Her braided blonde hair was tied back, the honey locks falling down her back. It was getting very long now, he noticed. He watched it swing side to side with her movement. He wondered if Jack's hair was always white. Was it very light blonde? Hiccup thought about this and shook his head no. It was pure white, not blonde. He missed the way Jack's hair would move in the breeze, and the way his dark lashes would brush against his pale cheeks when he blinked, a beautiful contrast. All over again, Hiccup's head filled with images of Jack and he had to stop and breathe. He had no idea what his true feelings for Jack were, he couldn't understand it. He didn't know if he was right or wrong to feel like this about him. Was Jack a test from the Gods? To see if Hiccup would turn his back on the village, turn his back on the Gods, and pick Jack? Hiccup's head thumped with worries and anxieties, his emotions treading the line between excitement and fear. He felt so conflicted, so confused. Hiccup inhaled shakily and hoped Astrid wouldn't turn round and see him. What did he feel when he was around Jack? Happy. Excited. Joyful. Alive. How could that be bad? Did he feel that way around Astrid? Looking at the blonde warrior in front of him, Hiccup tilted his head. She made him happy. But it wasn't the same. He felt comfortably happy with Astrid, the kind of happy where he could sit with her and feel content. A time ago he would have felt happy enough to love her, but now his feelings were wavering. She didn't make him feel exhilarated, she didn't make his pulse race and his palms get sweaty. She didn't cloud his head and make him forget his own name. She didn't make him feel like Jack did. Astrid chose to turn round then, having reached their destination. They were in a thick part of the forest with trees all around them, stretching so high into the sky the tips seemed to merge with the clouds. Astrid flung her arm around his shoulders, the force nearly knocking the weapons to the ground.

"Well," She said, leaning on him. "Practice shooting with the bow?"

"What's our target?" Hiccup said, his hands by his side.

Astrid noticed that his arm didn't wrap round her waist as it usually did, but she realised that he couldn't because he was still holding all the weapons. "Those two tree trunks over there. You get your bow, I'll get mine, and we'll see who has the best aim."

Hiccup gave a quick smile and detached himself from her, dropping all the weapons but the bow. He stretched his back, and positioned the bow close to his face. Reaching behind him, he pulled a single arrow out from the pouch on his back and placed it gently on the string, aligning the arrow tip with the centre of the bow. Astrid worked quickly, firing three arrows in the time it took Hiccup to eye his target. He was about to release his bow when a cold breeze hit him, and she shivered and dropped the weapon. His head whipped round, eyes searching to see if the breeze was natural,or due to a certain white haired boy. When no such boy was found, Hiccup rolled his shoulders and picked up his bow again. "Hiccup." Astrid said, an eyebrow raised. "You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Butterfingers." Hiccup raised his hand and wiggled his fingers. "I'll try again."

Breathing deeply, Hiccup focused and pulled the arrow back, releasing it. It just made the tree, the end sticking out dejectedly at the bottom of the trunk. Hiccup went to try again, but Astrid shook her head. "You never were the best shot." Hiccup tried again and again, each time failing to hit the tree. After a continuous stream of failed attempts, Astrid shook her head. "C'mon, let's test your strength. First one to get halfway through a tree with their axe wins."

Wearily, but concealing it with a smile, Hiccup picked up his axe and went to a nearby tree, which was relatively small in diameter. Astrid noticed this and scoffed;her tree was double the size of her. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Astrid, destroy a nice old tree that's older than both of us put together."

"You're only saying that because you know I'll win. Now, go!" No sooner had the words left her mouth Astrid began to chop into the trunk, her thin but muscular arms swinging the large iron axe repeatedly.

Hiccup couldn't deny that she was extremely skilled with her axe, she worked so fast that wood chippings were forming a small pile at her feet. Hiccup tried to swing his axe, too, but he just wasn't feeling it. He could only think about meeting Jack, and by the time he managed to lift his arms and thrust into the tree, Astrid was already a quarter finished with hers. He knew that he wasn't going to win, but he might as well try so it looked as if he was attempting it. They chopped and chopped, wood shaving filling the air as they worked. It was grueling work, and their efforts left a thin sheet of sweat on both their foreheads. Finally, Hiccup heard a triumphant call behind him. He turned round and Astrid was swinging her axe in the air, a grin on her face. "I win!"

"Well done, you're a true Viking." Hiccup chuckled.

Astrid flung an arm around his neck again and cocked her head. "What's next?"

"I don't know. Something I can win at?" Hiccup's green eyes flashed with humour, and Astrid smiled.

"No dragons allowed remember. Tell you what, I'll close my eyes and you go hide, and I have three minutes to hunt you down!"

Hiccups body was already exhausted, but he agrees nonetheless. "Sure. Sounds fun."

"Okay! Right, one, two.."

Hiccup dropped his axe at his feet and ran into the forest, knowing he didn't have much time to hide. He debated climbing into a tree, but his limbs ached to even think about the effort that would take. He moved as stealthily as he could, though he stayed close to Astrid- if she caught him soon, it would be over and he could go home. But he knew she'd be mad if she got him straight away, so Hiccup moved as quietly as he could, knowing that by then Astrid would have finished counting. It was as if all the birds fell silent, and the only sound was the shallow breaths escaping Hiccup's mouth. He walked and walked, careful not to step on any branches. Suddenly, Hiccup heard a shallow breath and stopped in his tracks, arms heard up warily. He turned around himself slowly, gazing among the trees, looking for Astrid. When he was sure nobody was in the woods, he swallowed and took a step. That was when she pounced. Hiccup felt his body slam into the ground with an ear shattering thump, and before he could blink a warm hand was at his throat, pushing at his windpipe. He struggled to breathe, gasping pointlessly. His arms trued to lift but were pinned down with two legs. The pressure on his throat lifted and he could breathe again, calming down enough to see he was being pinned by Astrid. She grinned and leaned down to his ear, her voice a whisper. "Got you."

Hiccup took a deep breath, still unable to move underneath Astrid. "Yep. Violently, I might add."

Astrid's breath tickles his ear. "It's the Viking way."

When Hiccup made to sit up, Astrid's hand pinned him down. She moved her head closer to his, and leaned in to kiss him. Hiccup blanched and broke his arms free, pushing her off roughly. She landed with a thump on her bottom, looking at him with confusion and hurt. Hiccup wiped his hands on his tunic nervously and laughed. "Uh, yeah. Well, I gotta go. Bye, Astrid."

With that Hiccup strode away, stopping to pick up his abandoned weapons on the way. He could almost hear the cogs in Astrid's mind turning, wondering why he'd so rudely pushed her off, but he couldn't afford to think about it now. Hiccup raised his head to the sky, and felt the first pinch of joy he'd fell all day- only two hours until he met Jack.


End file.
